Thailand test for new independent pairs

PETALING JAYA: All eyes will be on Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying and Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong as they embark on their independent careers at the Thailand Masters in Bangkok today.

The US$150,000 (RM617,000), which marks the start of 26-tournament World Tour’s calendar, could not be a better place to start for the two Rio Olympics silver-medal winning pairs as both have impressed in last year’s edition.

World No. 6 Peng Soon-Liu Ying are the reigning mixed doubles winners while men’s doubles V Shem-Wee Kiong will be out to bet- ter their semi-finals outing.

Both pairs are also seeded top in their events and they will be eager to make the most of the absence of some top 10 players, who opted to start their season at the Malaysian Masters next week.

Peng Soon-Liu Ying’s path to final looks clear on paper at least.

They should face little trouble against homesters Tinn IsriyanetChasinee Korepap in the opening hurdle and could cross path with former teammates Chen Tang Jie- Peck Yen Wei, the seventh seeds in the quarter-finals.

Peng Soon-Liu Ying’s biggest threats — Thailand’s Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai and China’s Lu KaiChen Lu — are in the bottom half.

Peng Soon-Liu Ying will be aiming to reach their third final in the tournament as they were also runners-up in the 2016 edition.

The other Malaysians in the mixed doubles fray are Hoo Pang Ron-Cheah Yee See.

In the men’s doubles competition, world No. 14 V Shem-Wee Kiong face a tricky opening encounter against Thailand’s Kittinupong Kedren-Dechapol.

They were beaten by the world No. 38 during the Asian Team Championships in February last year but made amends at the Asian Games six month later.

V Shem-Wee Kiong are expected to set up a last eight meeting with sixth seeds Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi.

Malaysia are also represented by Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani and independent pairs Chooi Kah MingLow Juan Shen and Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub-Arif Abdul Latif.

Aaron-Wooi Yik will be hoping to live up to their second seeding but must overcome the likes of Ou Xuanyi-Ren Xiangyu of China and Taiwan’s Lu Ching-yao-Yang Po-han if they are make it to the final.

The other Malaysians competing this week are men’s singles Lee Zii Jia, Soong Joo Ven, Cheam June Wei and Goh Giap Chin while Lee Ying Ying and M. Thinaah carry nation’s challenge in the women’s singles.